ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to assess farmers’ perception of soil colour on cassava yield in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of cassava farmers, ascertain the respondent’s perception of various soil colours on cassava yield, identify basic agronomic practices for the improvement of cassava yield by the respondent, examine the factors influencing choice of soil colour for cassava farming and identify constraints faced by the respondents in proper use of soil.
A multi- stage sampling procedure was used in selecting the respondents. The data used for this study were generated from one major source viz: primary sources. The primary source comprised questionnaire which was structured according to the specific objective of the study. The data were analysed using descriptive statistic tools such as frequency count, percentage, mean and standard deviation.
The result shows that 50.0% of the farmers were female, while 50.0% of the farmers were male. More so, 81.7% of the respondents were married and the mean age was 40 years. The average mean household size of the respondents was 4. The result indicates that majority completed their tertiary school and years of farming experience was 4 years. The result also showed that 77.5% of the respondents engaged in farming as major occupation with annual income of ₦433166.67. The result indicates that 100% of the respondents identified sand as not fertile soil in the study area. Higher percentage (51.7%) of the respondents claimed that loam soil is a fertile soil. All the respondents claimed that Sandy clay is not fertile and 97.5% do not claimed stony soil is not fertile. The mean (mean = 2.11) result shows that Presence of woody trees was a considered factor influencing choice of soil colour for cassava farming in the study area. The result also shows that Presence of insect and earthworms (mean = 2.53), Inadequate land for cultivation (mean = 2.86) and Previous yield of farm land (mean = 2.53) were considered factors influencing choice of soil colour for cassava farming in the study Area. The result showed that Scarcity of land (mean =3.97), High cost of planting material (mean =3.50), Poor price for unprocessed cassava (mean =3.90), Lack of processing facilities (mean =3.51), Lack of capital (mean =3.93), Scarcity of labour (mean =3.47), Poor access to credit (mean =3.90), Low income of farmers (mean =2.80) and Poor price of finished cassava product (mean =3.48) were constraints face by cassava farmers in proper use of soil in the study area.
In order to ameliorate this problem, extension agent should educate cassava farmers on how to identify fertile soil using various soil colours in the study area.
